Man charged after alleged 'suicide by cop' attempt

The man shot by Lee's Summit police officers late Friday remained in serious but stable condition Tuesday, but he also now faces felony charges for his actions that led to him being shot.

Jackson County prosecutors Tuesday charged James Shade, 45, with two counts of unlawful use of a weapon – one for firing it from an apartment unit into another apartment, and a second for exhibiting the gun in a threatening manner.

Shade was shot after officers responded to Summit Ridge Apartments on Northeast Tudor Road at about 11:30 p.m., Friday, for a call to check on the welfare of an armed suicidal man.

According to court documents, Shade had sent a text message to his brother that “suicide by cop is my best option.” Police had been called to Shade's residence earlier this year regarding a suicide threat.

In Friday's incident, police were informed by a person from the National Veterans Crisis Hotline that a hotline call had come from Shade, who said he had suicidal thoughts and a plan to shoot himself. When the hotline rep said he was going to call police, Shade said, “I will shoot anyone that shows up.”

When officers arrived at Shade's apartment and evacuated nearby residents, Shade ignored attempts to talk with him via telephone. He briefly opened his front door but slammed it shut when he recognized police. About 30 seconds later he fired one round with a 12-gauge shotgun from inside his apartment. The slug traveled through Shade's front door, and investigators determined it then went through the front door of the apartment across the hallway, through multiple barriers in that apartment and then across the parking lot before striking a second building.

Shade then came out of his apartment with a shotgun pointed underneath his jaw and refused multiple commands to put the gun down.

An officer then hit Shade with multiple less-lethal bean bag rounds, but Shade still held the gun and yelled “Do you think that will stop me!” He then began moving toward an officer, and multiple officers subsequently hit him with gunfire to avoid injury to the officer or innocent bystanders. Officers then gave Shade first aid while taking him into custody.

Shade's shotgun still contained a slug round and four rounds of buckshot. Investigators learned of the suicide by cop text message after contacting Shade's brother. The message also contained instructions about dividing Shade's life insurance policy.

According to court documents, Lee's Summit police had responded to Shade's apartment April 7 after he texted family members threatening to commit suicide. During that visit, Shade allowed officers inside his apartment, where they found two loaded guns. Shade voluntarily went to the VA hospital for treatment and told a nurse there he had received previous treatment for “suicidal intentions.”

Prosecutors have requested a $75,000 bond. The three officers involved have been placed on administrative leave – which is routine policy – while Lee's Summit police continue their investigation. The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office will then review the case.